Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer printers and the like and more particularly to a printer cartridge, refurbished or remade printer cartridge or the like and a method of making or refurbishing printer cartridges or similar devices.
Printer cartridges, such as laser printer cartridges or the like may be made or refurbished by filling the cartridges with toner, ink or the like and replacing any damaged or worn parts. To refurbish and refill a cartridge, the cartridge may generally need to be disassembled and reassembled. Component parts, such as electrical contacts, terminals or the like, can be damaged or misaligned during the refurbishing process. Electrical contacts on different components of the cartridge may therefore not make proper contact with one another when the cartridge is reassembled and the cartridge may malfunction or not be able to provide some features, such as a message when toner level is low or the like. Some of the electrical contacts may be internal to the cartridge on some types of cartridges when the cartridges are assembled. This prevents access to the contacts or terminals for testing to confirm whether the contacts or terminals are properly making contact after assembling the cartridge.
Accordingly, there is a need to provide a method to make or refurbish a printer cartridge that permits access to any internal contacts or terminals for testing of the electrical contact or connection. There is also a need to provide a printer cartridge or refurbished printer cartridge that includes access to any internal contacts or terminals for testing.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of making or refurbishing a printer cartridge may include assembling a first cartridge subassembly and a second cartridge subassembly. The first cartridge subassembly may include a first conductive terminal and the second cartridge subassembly may include a second conductive terminal that is normally in electrical contact with the first conductive terminal when the first and second subassemblies are assembled. The method may also include providing an external access to the first conductive terminal, the first conductive terminal being inaccessible after assembling the printer cartridge.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of making or refurbishing a printer cartridge may include attaching a conductive strip or the like on one of a first printer cartridge subassembly or a second printer cartridge subassembly. The first cartridge subassembly may include at least a first conductive terminal and the second cartridge subassembly may include at least a second conductive terminal that normally electrically contacts the at least first conductive terminal when the first and second cartridge subassemblies are assembled. The at least first conductive terminal may be inaccessible and the at least second conductive terminal may be accessible when the first and second cartridge subassemblies are assembled. The method may include coupling a first portion of the conductive strip to the at least first conductive terminal when assembling the first and second cartridge subassemblies. The method may also include exposing a second portion of the conductive strip external to the first and second cartridge subassemblies when assembling the first and second cartridge subassemblies.
In accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, a printer cartridge may include a first cartridge subassembly and a second cartridge subassembly attached to the first cartridge subassembly. The first cartridge subassembly may include a first conductive terminal and the second cartridge subassembly may include a second conductive terminal that is normally in electrical contact with the first conductive terminal when the first and second subassemblies are attached. An external access may be provided to the first conductive terminal, the first conductive terminal being inaccessible when the first cartridge subassembly is attached to the second cartridge subassembly.